Marin County, CA Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 5.36.010(b)
- Permitting agency
- Marin County Public Works Director
- Fee
- Set by board of supervisors resolution
- Traffic condition
- Must not unreasonably impede traffic flow
- Insurance
- Required, county as additional insured
Summary
Marin County bars using county-maintained roads and right-of-ways for commercial motion-picture or television filming unless the public works director first issues a permit under Section 5.36.010(b), separate from any location permit the community development agency issues for other county property.
(b)County maintained roads and right-of-ways shall not be used for filming motion pictures or television for commercial purposes unless a permit has been first obtained from the Public Works Director in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 2026 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
010(c). 020 sets the fee for a public-works-issued filming permit at the amount established by resolution of the board of supervisors, rather than the per-eight-hour fee that applies to community development agency permits, and can include a deposit for extra regulation costs. 040 requires the applicant to comply with whatever conditions the public works director deems necessary to ensure filming does not unreasonably impede the flow of vehicular traffic or restrict public access to and from the roadway, which functions as the county's road-use control for film production: rather than a blanket road-closure ordinance, the county conditions the encroachment permit on maintaining traffic flow and access unless the director's conditions authorize a temporary closure.
060 still requires the crew to keep the road right-of-way clean and orderly and to pay for cleanup if it fails to do so. 36 does not set a separate application deadline or design standard for road use, all road-use filming permits are processed and conditioned individually by the public works director on a case-by-case basis.
Violations & Fines
Using a county road or right-of-way for commercial filming without the Section 5.36.010(b) public works permit is unlawful. A production that impedes traffic flow or blocks public access to a roadway in violation of the director's conditions under § 5.36.040 is subject to permit-condition enforcement and billing for any resulting county costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate permit to film on a Marin County road?
Can Marin County close a road for a film shoot?
Who sets the fee for filming on a Marin County road?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marin County
California rules heatmap·Compare Marin County to another location·View the California filming & production overview
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